1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to ice cube trays, and particularly to a handy, spill resistant ice cube dispenser tray that allows only a desired number of ice cubes to drop from the tray into a glass or container while remaining ice cubes are held in their compartments.
2. 2. Description of the Known Art
Ice cube trays arranged with removable covers for purposes of avoiding spills are generally known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,504 (Dec. 4, 1973) discloses a spill-proof ice cube tray having cover elements hinged to the long sides of the tray. When the cover elements are closed, inner portions of the ice cube compartments are left exposed to allow for filling of the compartments with water. The cover elements are designed to deflect splashed water away from the outer edges of the elements and back into the ice cube compartments, according to the patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,995 (Nov. 6, 1990) discloses a flexible plastics ice cube tray and a separate cover. The cover has a top portion that completely overlies ice cube compartments in the tray, and cover side walls with flanges that retain the entire cover in place over the ice cube tray. The cover can be shifted endwise relative to the tray in telescoping fashion to expose a desired number of cubes, and the tray then inverted to dump the cubes from the exposed compartments.
A stackable ice cube tray and lid assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,529 (Feb. 21, 1984).